Chicago Wage Garnishment Defense Lawyer

Fight for Your Wages with a Seasoned Bankruptcy Attorney

Bills can stack up for even the best of us, and no matter how hard you
try, you could fall behind in your payments. You might find yourself picking
and choosing which bills to pay and which ones to ignore, hoping that
a creditor doesn't come knocking on your door. Things could become much
more difficult, however, if a creditor bypasses the unfriendly calls altogether
and instead tries to use a practice known as wage garnishment.

Why clients choose Smith Ortiz, P.C.:

We have more than 25 years of shared experience

We offer step-by-step guidance

Our firm is solely focused on bankruptcy

We offer free consultations

When a judge orders your employer to withhold a certain portion of your
paycheck until a specific debt or debts is paid off, this is called wage
garnishment. If this seems like a form of exaction, that's because it
is. If your paychecks are being subjected to wage garnishment and you're
struggling to hold onto the necessities – food, water, clothing,
etc. – you don't have to take it sitting down. With a
Chicago bankruptcy attorney from Smith Ortiz, P.C., you can stand up for yourself and fight to keep
the income you worked so hard to earn.

Who Can Garnish My Wages?

Depending on the debts that you owe or your financial situation, different
garnishment rules may vary from one example to another. Additionally,
only so much of your paycheck can be taken for wage garnishments, typically
maxing out at 25% after deductions.

Still, there are several reasons why you might be seeing some of your income
disappearing before you even get your paycheck, including:

Child support: If you are required to pay child support due to a court's decision but
haven't been making payments, a creditor or your ex-spouse can request
wage garnishment be used against your paychecks.

Student loans: One of the most common forms of wage garnishment, many young Americans
suffer wage garnishment in order to pay off
student loans. The effects of this practice can be financially damaging, spiraling the
individual into worse and worse debt. Furthermore, no court order is required
to enact it.

Back taxes: If you owe payments to the IRS, you can expect some of the harshest wage
garnishment possible. No court orders are necessary – as they are
an authoritative government body – and they can sometimes take a
majority of your paychecks, not the standardized maximum.

Creditors with approval: Nearly any creditor can seek approval for wage garnishment from an appointed
judge. This means you could see your wages being garnished for back payments
on homes, cars, or other debts if the creditor's claim is approved.

Your Time to React is Short – You Need to Act Now!

In certain cases, you may have as little as
five days to contest wage garnishment, and in many others, you're limited to just
30 days. It is imperative that you act as soon as possible and contact
a Chicago bankruptcy lawyer from Smith Ortiz, P.C. right now. We have
a full understanding of your rights as a consumer protected by the federal
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Together, we can help you file an official objection, citing the reasons
why your wage garnishment is excessive or unreasonable.

Will you need to file for bankruptcy soon? Is your career in jeopardy?
Perhaps you've suffered from an expensive medical emergency? No matter
why you are struggling with bill payments and wage garnishment, we want
to help you.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.